Elastic neck form



July 4, 1967 H. M. A'MBRosE ELASTIC'NECK FORM Filed June 3, 1965 INVENTOR. /lz-zn/ M 4442x055 irren/sys United States Patent O 3,328,308 ELASTIC NECK FORM Helen M. Ambrose, 3528 27th Ave. S., R'Iinneapolis, Minn. 55406 Filed June 3, 1965, Ser. No. 461,094 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-127) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A neck form comprising an elastic band adapted to be contained Within the hem about the periphery of an opening in a garment, the elastic band having a swivel joining the ends of the elastic band to form a loop and to allow free rotating of the band about the axis thereof Without twisting and for allowing easy insertion into the hem of the garment. The neck form includes a chain and hook each of which is secured to an end of the elastic band, for selectively altering the nominal diameter of the loop.

In some types of garments, notably sweatshirts, the practice has evolved of providing an opening for the head or other appendage, the opening being embraced by an elastic hem. A disadvantage of this type of garment is the stretched out effect which the elastic hem attains after a short period of use.

The use of an auxiliary elastic band which is sewn directly to the garment opening has been found to be excessively time consuming. The band used as well as the threa-d must match the garment to avoid an unsightly appearance. The band must also be of the exact length which will provide the proper circumference. To arrive at this exact length may involve considerable trial and error. lf the auxiliary band is improperly applied it may swist and become tighter causing discomfort to the wearer of the garment.

To prevent twisting of the elastic band within the hem of the garment and to provide a readily insertable auxiliary elastic, the present invention provides a swivel member which connects the two ends of the elastic band. The swivel member allows the band to rotate freely about the length of the band Without becoming twisted, thus leaving the garment hole at the predetermined nominal diameter and also provides a rigid member for ease of insertion. An additional feature of this invention makes it considerably more adaptable by providing a means for adjusting the length of the loop formed by the band and swivel, and thus the nominal size of the garment opening. Such an adjusting means is suitable demonstrated by interposing in the loop formed by the elastic band and swivel, a length of chain, and, at another point in the loop, a hook which may be used to engage different links in the chain to alter the length of the loop and thus the nominal size of the garment opening.

FIGURE l is a drawing of the invention in the preferred form;

FIGURE 2 is a pictorial drawing depicting the invention in the process of being inserted into the hem of a garment opening.

FIGURE 3 is a pictorial drawing of the garment opening and hem with the structure of the invention inserted and shown by dotted lines.

Referring now to the drawings FIGURE l depicts the invention in the preferred form. It will be noted that at the left end a snap hook is provided. Hook 10 has a lock or clasp so that hook 10 may be closed to hold until released. A swivel 12 with end loops 13 and 14 is secured, via loop 13 to hook 10.

ICC

An elongated resilient member, herein demonstrated by the elastic cord 15, is provided for securement to swivel 12. The length of elastic cord 15 is commensurate with the approximate nominal circumference of the opening to be maintained. It is apparent, that if elastic cord 15 is rotated about the length thereof, that it will become twisted and its length would be reduced. The twisting is the adverse result sought to 4be prevented by the use of swivel 12 which allows, when elastic cord 15 is formed as a loop, elastic cord 15 to rotate about the length thereof without twisting. Thus, one end 18 of elastic cord 15 is doubled back on itself to form a loop 16 which cooperates wtih swivel loop 14 to operably secure the swivel 12 to the elastic band 15. Loop 16 is secured in any convenient manner as by pressing a band 17 about elastic cord 15 and end 18.

It is another feature of this invention to provide a nontwisting elastic loop with means interposed in the loop for altering the diameter of the loop. Means for accomplishing this end are suitably depicted as a chain 21, comprised of a plurality of links 20 secured to the other end of elastic cord 15. One convenient way of securing chain 21 to elastic cord 15 is to pass end 19, of elastic cord 15, through end link 20. End 19 is then doubled back along elastic cord 15 to form loop 22. Loop 22 is retained by pressing a band 23 about end 19 and elastic cord 15.

It will be apparent from a study of FIGURE l that a loop may be formed of hook 10, swivel 12, elastic cord 15 and chain 21 by securing hook 10 to any link 20 of chain 21. The diameter of the loop formed may be varied by changing the link Z0 to which hook 10 is fastened.

FIGURE 2 depicts the invention being inserted into a hem 25 of a garment 26. In manufacturing sweatshirts it has become common to provide neck openings with a standard size opening regardless of the size of the sweatshirt, to Wit: one neck size is provided -despite the fact the sweatshirt may be a small size or a large size. The difference in size is taken up by the elastic hem 25. Thus, it is apparent that in smaller sizes the neck may rapidly become too large for the wearer.

Hole 27 is cut into hem 25 to provide ingress of the invention into hem 25. A weight or other rigid implement is used to facilitate the threading of the invention through hem 25 and is secured to hook 10. One suitable example is demonstrated by a safety pin 28. Safety pin 28 and hook 10 are inserted into the hole 27 and worked around through hem 25 until a loop is made by passing elastic cord 15 completely around hem 25. Then the loop formed by elastic cord 15, chain 21, hook 10 and swivel 12, is closed by engaging hook 10 on one link 20 of chain 21.

The invention is completely installed in hem 25 as depicted by dotted lines in FIGURE 3. The size of the neck opening may be readily adjusted by changing the connection of hook 10 on chain 21 providing, within limits, an adjustable neck size for garment 26. Provision 0f swivel 12 allows elastic cord 15 to rotate about the length thereof without twisting and thus resiliently maintains a predetermined nominal diameter of the garment opening and an opening which may be selectively altered in diameter.

The unit, thus provided, has been found to have a usable life longer than that of the garment. It is apparent, then, that the unit may, upon the garments becoming worn, be removed and installed into another garment. It will also be noted that the unit herein described is equally applicable to Wristlets, waistbands, or any other garment opening which is to be resiliently maintained t0 a predetermined nominal diameter.

I claim:

1. A garment including a body receiving aperture which is resiliently maintained at a nominal diameter comprising:

(a) a hem about the periphery of the aperture in said garment;

(b) an elongated resilient member secured within the aperture formed as an elongated resilient means of substantially circular cross-section being formed as a loop within said hem;

(c) means interposed within the loop formed by said resilient elongated means for allowing at least one end of said elongated resilient means adjacent said second mentioned means to rotate about the length thereof Without twisting the entire length of said resilient means.

2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the means for allowing said elongated resilient means to rotate about the length thereof without becoming twisted comprises a swivel, said swivel connecting the ends of said elongated lresilient means.

3. The garment of claim 2 wherein a length adjusting means is interposed in the loop formed by said elongated resilient means and said swivel for selectively changing the nominal diameter of said loop thus formed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 173,389 2/1876 Clayton 24-116 670,726 3/1901 Pierce 2-322 1,131,532 3/1915 McClure. 1,491,303 4/ 1924 Hicks 24-l 16 X 1,973,646 9/1934 Mix 2-322 2,130,552 9/1938 Kuhn 2-243 2,583,992, l/l952 Bouteloup 2-237 2,766,549 10/ 1956 Dickerson i3-44.98 3,026,533 3/l962 Zakarin 2-322 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. GUEST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A GARMENT INCLUDING A BODY RECEIVING APERTURE WHICH IS RESILIENTLY MAINTAINED AT A NOMINAL DIAMETER COMPRISING: (A) A HEM ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF THE APERTURE IN SAID GARMENT; (B) AN ELONGATED RESILIENT MEMBER SECURED WITHIN THE APERTURE FORMED AS AN ELONGATED RESILIENT MEANS OF SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION BEING FORMED AS A LOOP WITHIN SAID HEM; (C) MEANS INTERPOSED WITHIN THE LOOP FORMED BY SAID RESILIENT ELONGATED MEANS FOR ALLOWING AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID ELONGATED RESILIENT MEANS ADJACENT SAID SECOND MENTIONED MEANS TO ROTATE ABOUT THE LENGTH THEREOF WITHOUT TWISTING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS. 